• MCA says Saburi must be impeached if he does not give concrete persuasive reasons for his actions. But most politicians say dealing with virus comes first.
• Deputy governor interacted with politicians, mourners, attended cabinet meetings, clubs and hotels after landing.
Talk of impeaching Kilifi Deputy Governor Gideon Saburi has persisted even as he apologised for 'spreading' coronavirus in the county.
But it's coming from people, not the assembly, which is on recess and leaders say dealing with the coronavirus comes first.
Saburi, who tested positive after flying in from Germany, said he complied with the government directive of seeking medical attention.
“I went to Mombasa Hospital and was given a clean bill of health. After three days I went to my usual duties. I had no ill intentions,” he said.
The deputy governor, who is admitted at the Coast General isolation unit, is said to have refused to self-isolate after flying into the country against the state's order for all arrivals.
Governor Amason Kingi’s spanner boys who had direct contact with the DG are murmuring about impeaching Saburi for endangering the lives of Kilifi residents.
The DG, who harbours gubernatorial ambitions, interacted with politicians, mourners, attended cabinet meetings, clubs and hotels.
Kilifi opinion leader Lennox Shalo accused him of having ill intentions by refusing to goi into quarantine adding that Saburi should be impeached.
The Kilifi resident said a motion should be tabled by MCAs to impeach him, and further, he should face charges.
“He should even be taken to the International Criminal Court, it is a global problem and he seemed to have wanted to wipe out the whole world,” Shalo added.
Kakuyuni MCA Nixon Mramba told the Star that they are waiting for the pandemic to be over then seek an explanation from him.
He said Saburi must be impeached if he does not give concrete reasons for his actions.
Assembly Speaker Jimmy Kahindi reacted angrily at first via the social media condemning the deputy governor.
"Right now, we have a serious problem with the pandemic, impeachment is a non-issue because the assembly is not working," he said.
However, lawye and politician Gunga Mwinga has dismissed the plan as wishful thinking and political witch-hunt.
"As at now, it is a tall order to impeach the DG unless he is charged and convicted for more than six months. The same process used to impeach a governor should apply to the DG,” Mwinga said.
Earlier, Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga revealed via social media that he interacted with Saburi, who sounded remorseful and argued that he took himself to the facility.
Deputy Majority leader Sammy Ndago said such a motion cannot pass in the assembly.
"MCAs are currently on recess and they are also in self-quarantine. We have not shared anything to that effect,” the Shimo la Tewa MCA said.
Similar sentiments were shared by Kaya Fungo MCA Alphonse Mwayaa.
“I think we should let him recover first. The matter is currently being peddled by residents but as the assembly, we have no such plan as at now,” the majority chief whip said.
Kingi, county staff and half of Mtwapa police station are on self-quarantine with the county, Mombasa, Kwale and Nairobi having been declared high-risk.
Edited by R.Wamochie